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Author Topic:   Feature Requests and Suggestions Thread
Ben!
Member (Idle past 1659 days)
Posts: 1161
From: Hayward, CA
Joined: 10-14-2004


Message 1 of 236 (165832)
12-07-2004 2:42 AM


Hi,
From talking with Admin before, this board's software created with the focus of production-level code and release. Because of that, I thought it might be useful to have a thread where users can suggest features. If this is EXACTLY what you DON'T want, then of course, please close it. Otherwise... I have some suggestions.
It was mentioned before that there's no time / resources for doing these feature requests, and I understand. However, it's good to track them; if resources become available (i.e. if you offer an interface for programmers here to help you implement some of these things) then we'll have a place that tracked them.
What do you think? I have two features in mind at the current time. Like I said, if this isn't what you're looking for, Admin(s) please just shut this puppy down.
Thanks.
Ben

Replies to this message:
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 Message 3 by Admin, posted 12-07-2004 7:56 AM Ben! has replied
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 Message 118 by arachnophilia, posted 03-14-2005 3:40 AM Ben! has not replied
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Adminnemooseus
Administrator
Posts: 3983
Joined: 09-26-2002


Message 2 of 236 (165837)
12-07-2004 2:54 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by Ben!
12-07-2004 2:42 AM


Looks good to me, but...
This is the type of topic that tends to get used so infrequently that it probably will get forgotten, and thus get buried deep in the topic pile.
Nice try though. We'll see what happens.
Adminnemooseus

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by Ben!, posted 12-07-2004 2:42 AM Ben! has not replied

  
Admin
Director
Posts: 13108
From: EvC Forum
Joined: 06-14-2002


Message 3 of 236 (165854)
12-07-2004 7:56 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by Ben!
12-07-2004 2:42 AM


I think this thread is a good idea. It would help me be responsive to member needs, and it could also serve as a focal point for members who have an interest in the development of bulletin board software. I'm the only developer at present, and more developers will be required to effectively implement a full-featured board.
My eventual goal is a commercial bulletin board product with vBulletin-level capabilities. The value-added would be a lower price, greater performance because it's implemented in Perl instead of PHP, and, because it isn't dependent upon SQL, lower costs and greater flexibility choosing webhosting companies.
I'm hoping to release dBoard 1.0 to this site before Christmas.

--Percy
EvC Forum Director

This message is a reply to:
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Replies to this message:
 Message 4 by jar, posted 12-07-2004 11:31 AM Admin has not replied
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 Message 8 by Phat, posted 12-09-2004 4:24 AM Admin has not replied
 Message 9 by Ben!, posted 12-12-2004 9:52 AM Admin has not replied
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 Message 23 by Ben!, posted 12-12-2004 8:41 PM Admin has not replied
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 Message 55 by Ben!, posted 12-26-2004 6:17 AM Admin has replied
 Message 58 by Ben!, posted 12-28-2004 7:22 PM Admin has replied
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jar
Member (Idle past 100 days)
Posts: 34140
From: Texas!!
Joined: 04-20-2004


Message 4 of 236 (165889)
12-07-2004 11:31 AM
Reply to: Message 3 by Admin
12-07-2004 7:56 AM


A few suggestions.
Tack who's online at the top of the page and let it float as a seperate frame.
Tack navigation buttons in a seperate frame or the same frame as who's online so that they are always available directly without scrolling.

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

This message is a reply to:
 Message 3 by Admin, posted 12-07-2004 7:56 AM Admin has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 13 by Percy, posted 12-12-2004 6:45 PM jar has replied

  
Asgara
Member (Idle past 2563 days)
Posts: 1783
From: Wisconsin, USA
Joined: 05-10-2003


Message 5 of 236 (165891)
12-07-2004 11:57 AM
Reply to: Message 3 by Admin
12-07-2004 7:56 AM


After spending considerable time lurking over at iidb and TWeb, I want to express my appreciation for the ability to follow threads within threads. The ability to see and reach the posts that are in direct response to any other post is a great feature. Keeping track of any particular conversation is so much easier here.

Asgara
"Embrace the pain, spank your inner moppet, whatever....but get over it"
http://asgarasworld.bravepages.com
http://perditionsgate.bravepages.com

This message is a reply to:
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Replies to this message:
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MrHambre
Member (Idle past 1653 days)
Posts: 1495
From: Framingham, MA, USA
Joined: 06-23-2003


Message 6 of 236 (165905)
12-07-2004 12:37 PM
Reply to: Message 5 by Asgara
12-07-2004 11:57 AM


quote:
The ability to see and reach the posts that are in direct response to any other post is a great feature. Keeping track of any particular conversation is so much easier here.
I absolutely agree. It's infuriating trying to navigate through threads on other message boards or newsgroups.
regards,
Esteban Hambre

This message is a reply to:
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Ben!
Member (Idle past 1659 days)
Posts: 1161
From: Hayward, CA
Joined: 10-14-2004


Message 7 of 236 (166461)
12-09-2004 4:20 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by Ben!
12-07-2004 2:42 AM


Multi-post reply capability
In response to the question "Many short replies vs. fewer but longer messages", I made the following suggestion:
The only way I see to 'fix' this problem (quotes explained below) is to implement some way to reply to more than one message at once:
Some suggestions:
  • For the original poster of a message, have a "reply to all replies" button that appears... somewhere. This seems clearly easily abused by people who 'reply to all replies' by simply ignoring some responses. Then again, it would also (hopefully) FORCE people to be more careful NOT to pile on.
  • Add a way for people to SPECIFY which messages they are replying to. Maybe when you post a message, there's a textbox with a comma-delimited list of messages you're replying to. For a "big-white button reply", it's empty. For a 'red button reply", it has one number. And either way, it's editable. This seems hard to use though, and I doubt people would use it.
Either way, it requires further programming as well, which is a lot to ask. I just wanted to make some suggestions that came to mind.
No matter how you provide a 'multiple reply' functionality, however, it can be abused by those who want to skirt a question. It would be up to the original replyer to do so. To avoid it, I guess you'd have to implement permissions for using the functionality, so that you could revoke the permission for those who abused it.
I would HIGHLY recommend the second function (Add a way for people to SPECIFY which messages they are replying to). We have a few posters who choose to write one long reply, and this makes the 'notification' feature of replies go away. Although some might not use this functionality, I think some would. Having the functionality would be very helpful.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by Ben!, posted 12-07-2004 2:42 AM Ben! has not replied

Replies to this message:
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 Message 15 by Percy, posted 12-12-2004 6:53 PM Ben! has replied

  
Phat
Member
Posts: 18656
From: Denver,Colorado USA
Joined: 12-30-2003
Member Rating: 4.4


Message 8 of 236 (166462)
12-09-2004 4:24 AM
Reply to: Message 3 by Admin
12-07-2004 7:56 AM


I do like the way that the messages look on this board better than Internet Infidels or Theology Web. The black background is easier on my eyes. Will the appearence change when you upgrade, Percy?

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Replies to this message:
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Ben!
Member (Idle past 1659 days)
Posts: 1161
From: Hayward, CA
Joined: 10-14-2004


Message 9 of 236 (167345)
12-12-2004 9:52 AM
Reply to: Message 3 by Admin
12-07-2004 7:56 AM


Adding profile or 'recent posts' links to the 'who's online' area
The 'who's online' area at the bottom of the page is interesting. I think it would be really useful, and easy, to add links to those names in the box to either their profiles, or hte list of their most recent posts.
That way I can learn a bit about the other people that are online, which would be cool.
Ben

This message is a reply to:
 Message 3 by Admin, posted 12-07-2004 7:56 AM Admin has not replied

Replies to this message:
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RAZD
Member (Idle past 1666 days)
Posts: 20714
From: the other end of the sidewalk
Joined: 03-14-2004


Message 10 of 236 (167358)
12-12-2004 11:15 AM
Reply to: Message 9 by Ben!
12-12-2004 9:52 AM


Re: Adding profile or 'recent posts' links to the 'who's online' area
would it be possible to change e-mail notification to IM notification for responses to posts while you are still on-line? this could ensure a continuing dialog and help those who don't use the
http://http://www.evcforum.net/cgi-bin/membermsglist.cgi?action=...
feature on themselves
alternately could you go to an IM type message and when you first log on you get a
You have 12 responses to your posts:
Your message 18 titled "Re: Merry Yule Solestice etcetera": http://EvC Forum: New Feature?
-- bencip19's reply 20 titled "Re: Merry Yule Solestice etcetera": http://EvC Forum: New Feature?
Your message 12 titled "Re: Merry Yule Solestice etcetera": http://EvC Forum: New Feature?
-- jar's reply 14 titled "Re: Merry Yule Solestice etcetera": http://EvC Forum: New Feature?
etc
etc
and be able to sort them by oldest or newest
and have a button to "ignore this message in the future" for those you don't want to answer (retorical posts) or can't (thread closed)

we are limited in our ability to understand
by our ability to understand
RebelAAmerican.Zen[Deist
{{{Buddha walks off laughing with joy}}}

This message is a reply to:
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Replies to this message:
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RAZD
Member (Idle past 1666 days)
Posts: 20714
From: the other end of the sidewalk
Joined: 03-14-2004


Message 11 of 236 (167367)
12-12-2004 11:24 AM
Reply to: Message 7 by Ben!
12-09-2004 4:20 AM


Re: Multi-post reply capability
how about an automatic quote facility, where you highlight text you want to reply to and right click to add to reply window.
if you run this from the white reply button you have all the previous posts to draw from and the quotes could be automatically linked back to response notices.
it would also be possible to have a pull down that says "add notification to" (and have the top of the list be admin followed by the grid you get from the button at the corner
http://http://www.evcforum.net/cgi-bin/threaddisplay.cgi?number=...
and be able to check off people there.

we are limited in our ability to understand
by our ability to understand
RebelAAmerican.Zen[Deist
{{{Buddha walks off laughing with joy}}}

This message is a reply to:
 Message 7 by Ben!, posted 12-09-2004 4:20 AM Ben! has not replied

Replies to this message:
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Ben!
Member (Idle past 1659 days)
Posts: 1161
From: Hayward, CA
Joined: 10-14-2004


Message 12 of 236 (167449)
12-12-2004 5:44 PM
Reply to: Message 3 by Admin
12-07-2004 7:56 AM


Remove the "Post Reply" button
I don't see any need for it. I only see problems.
Every message should respond to something in the thread. By definition, to be on topic, you AT LEAST should be responding to the opening post.
I don't see any need for the "Post Reply" button. I only see that it allows people to
1. Easily go off topic
2. Post a reply which can be easily missed
3. Add extra length by having admins the poster to use the little red button
Ben

This message is a reply to:
 Message 3 by Admin, posted 12-07-2004 7:56 AM Admin has not replied

  
Percy
Member
Posts: 22955
From: New Hampshire
Joined: 12-23-2000
Member Rating: 7.1


Message 13 of 236 (167477)
12-12-2004 6:45 PM
Reply to: Message 4 by jar
12-07-2004 11:31 AM


jar writes:
Tack who's online at the top of the page and let it float as a seperate frame.
The "who's online" box will be moving to the top of the page in the Christmas release.
Placing the forum header section in a separate frame is definitely a personal preference type of thing. It's on my list to add as a feature that a user can enable through his preferences.
Tack navigation buttons in a seperate frame or the same frame as who's online so that they are always available directly without scrolling.
This would be included when a user enables frames.
--Percy

This message is a reply to:
 Message 4 by jar, posted 12-07-2004 11:31 AM jar has replied

Replies to this message:
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jar
Member (Idle past 100 days)
Posts: 34140
From: Texas!!
Joined: 04-20-2004


Message 14 of 236 (167478)
12-12-2004 6:47 PM
Reply to: Message 13 by Percy
12-12-2004 6:45 PM


Thank you sir. It's always nice when you get feedback.

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

This message is a reply to:
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Percy
Member
Posts: 22955
From: New Hampshire
Joined: 12-23-2000
Member Rating: 7.1


Message 15 of 236 (167483)
12-12-2004 6:53 PM
Reply to: Message 7 by Ben!
12-09-2004 4:20 AM


Re: Multi-post reply capability
Improved behavior for the reply buttons is often suggested. I agree improvements are desirable, but identifying the specific set of features and how they would interact is complicated. All I've noted on my list is that improvements are needed.
In the Christmas release, the big reply button has been renamed "Gen Reply", and the hover text is, "Do not use this button unless making a general reply. Instead use the small reply button beneath each message."
--Percy

This message is a reply to:
 Message 7 by Ben!, posted 12-09-2004 4:20 AM Ben! has replied

Replies to this message:
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